Heel protector and grip



July 10, 1934. E LESCH PROTECTOR AND GRIP Filed NOV. 2l. 1951 SW1/koi ED14/Fino LfscH (um m11 Patented `luly l0, 1934.

UNTED STATES PAUlElWl" OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention is a means to prevent the rear portion of a shoe fromslipping or sliding upon and down on the heel of the foot, and is moreparticularly applicable to so called low-cut shoes, known also as pumps,or Oxford style shoes; and my device consists substantially in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthand pointed out more particularly in the claims.

An object of my invention is to provide a heel grip which may beembodied and incorporated in the shoe when manufactured, or be pasted,sewed or otherwise attached within the shoe as and when required.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a heel grip whichprevents the counter of the shoe from slipping or sliding up and down 0nthe heel of the foot, the term counter meaning the inner surface of theside walls of the portion of the shoe which receives the heel of thefoot.

It is an important object to provide a device of this class whichfunctions without any noticeable binding or discomfort, and by elimi- Fnating the usual sliding of the heel up and down in the shoe preventundue wear on the stocking or sock and likewise prevent the forming ofblisters such as are often experienced by wearers of low-cut shoes.

It is a further object to thus grip and prevent the heel of the footfrom sliding in the shoe in such a manner as to avoid any tendency t0crowd the foot forward in the shoe.

It is also an object to provide a grip of this class having a gripproper and a base to increase the attaching area of the grip and thushave ample pasted or sewed contact to secure the device rmly in placeand at the same time provide a gripping. means which may be installedeither on the shoe lining, under the lining, or with the grip properprotruding through an open-ing in the lining, the outwardly extendingbase portion being disposed under the lining.

It is a further object to provide a ilexible grip and base and a neckexibly connecting said grip and base, by which arrangement the base maybe installed to underlap the shoe lining, the grip protruding through anopening in the lining which conforms in size and shape to the neck, theouter edges of the grip overlapping the edges of the opening in thelining.

A further object is to provide a grip and base portion with a neckflexibly connecting same, thus enabling the grip to yield angularly andthus compensate for the irregularities of the particular foot of thewearer, and to also-thus ilexibly support the grip in a compensatingmanner to permit the immediate adaptation of the grip to a desirableworking position.

It is also an object to provide the invention in certain forms with aflexible grip and yieldable base portion of smaller contour than thegrip, and a neck flexibly connecting same to the grip, said base portionmay be readily compressed and forced through an opening in the shoelining corresponding in size to said neck.

The above and other objects are attained by the structure illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a developed View of the invention as singly constructed;

Fig. 2 is a developed view of the invention as dually constructed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the proximity of line 3 3, of Fig.2, and of line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in the proximity of line 4 4, of Fig. 2and of line 4--4, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a developed view illustrating a modied form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in the proximity of line 6-6, of Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View as seen from the front of a shoe,and illustrates the singly constructed form of the invention as appliedunder the shoe lining;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. '7, but illustrates thedevice as installed with the grip proper extending through a suitablyshaped opening in the shoe lining, the base portion of the deviceunderlapping the lining, and grip proper overlapping the edges oi theopening.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of a shoe Within which theinvention as dually constructed is applied to the exposed surface of the95 lining, said View being taken through the grips proper; and,

Fig. 10 is a somewhat perspective fragmentary view showing the interiorof a shoe with the device diagrammatically indicated as singlyconstructed and applied.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent views. Referring to Fig. 1, the number 1 designates the gripand the numeral 2, designates the base there- 105 of. Fig. 2 illustratesthe device as dually constructed with the pair of grips 3 respectivelymounted on a corresponding pair of dually constructed andI symmetricallyarranged bases 4, saidA bases being united byA a narrow flexible con-1.10

necting strip 5 which determines the spacing of the grips when installedas shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the upper portions 6 of thegrips l and 3 slope toward the bases 2 and 4, respectively, said gripsforming bodies which gradually protrude at the upper portions while thelower edges 7 of same have a somewhat abrupt corner-like formation bywhich arrangement, the foot may be readily slipped into the shoe overthe gradually beveled upper portion 6 of the grips and thus be smoothlyslid into engagement with same, but when the movement of the foot isreversed in relation to the shoe as when the shoe tends to slip casuallydownwardly on the heel of the foot, the lower edges 7 being moreabruptly formed tend to catch in the depressed portion of the heel ofthe wearer at a point just below the ankle joint and just ahead of theTendo Achilles. It will be thus understood, that by the special mannerof constructing the grip as illustrated in Fig. 3, the grip embraces thefoot in a pawl-like manner which tends constantly to invite the heel ofthe wearers foot into the shoe and resists the tendency of the foot tomove casually therefrom. It will thus be understood that the grip bythis action wedges itself into relation with the foot.

It is understood that the devices as singly constructed may be locatedin the shoe where required, and that the device as dually constructedmay be located at the proper height in the shoe, the location of thegrips being otherwise determined by the connecting strip 5 which is ofsuitable length to properly control the spacing of the gripssymmetrically with the heel portion of the shoe when installed asindicated in Fig. 9. Said connecting strip as well as the bases 2 and 4are constructed of flexible material such as rubber, leather, or suedeand are sufhciently thin to make their presence negligible in the shoeand are of what may be termed paper thickness. The strip 5 is alsocomparatively narrow and is located at proper height to clear the heelof the wearer at the extreme rearward and upper edge of the shoe, and toalso clear the more expanded lower and rearward part of the wearersheel, by which arrangement it will be understood that said stripefficiently connects and accurately spaces the grips 3 in such a manneras to avoid crowding the foot forward in the shoe, as in instances wheregripping action is attempted at the extreme rearward surface of thewearers heel.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the grips are oval-shaped inhorizontal cross section, by which a smooth comfortable grip surface isprovided for contact with the foot.

The grips attach to the bases by necks 8, each corresponding grip, baseand neck being integrally formed from one piece of material, orequivalently built up by integrally united pieces. When the installationis made as indicated in Fig. 8, openings in the shoe lining are made,the edges 9 of which conform to the shape and size of the necks 8, thebases underlapping the lining, and the edges of each grip overlappingthe edges of the respective opening. This installation is preferablymade by securing the bases to both the shoe proper and the shoe lining,the edges 10 of the grips being left free of the lining. In thisinstallation, the bases are very rmly held in place, and the edges 9 ofthe lining around the openings in which the necks are disposed may beleft rough or raw and concealed giving the interior of the shoe apleasing appearance.

A highly important feature of flexibly mounting the grips by means ofthe flexible necks 8 is attached from the fact that the necks permit thegrips to yield to relatively stationary working tilted positions, thuspermitting the grip to compensate itself to the particular shapes ofdifferent wearers feet. As for example, the grips may shift on the neck8 from the position indicated by dotted lines 11 to dotted lines 12 ofFig. 8.

The entire device, however, is sometimes installed under the shoe liningas indicated in Fig. 7. Installation of the device is sometimes made asindicated in Fig. 9 in which the bases are mounted on the lining, thenecks 8 being free of the lining and serving as more pronounced flexibleconnections between the grip and the base, thus permitting a more fullcompensating action of the grips.

It will be observed in the different views that the edges of the gripsare formed similarly to the edges of a mushroom. The surface 16 of thegrips adjacent the necks 8 recede from the bases, but approach the basesat the extreme edge of the grips, the extreme edges of the grips beingthus depressed to avoid catching and rolling up of the grip edge, and tothus avoid engagement with sock or stocking of the wearer when the footis slid into the shoe, and at the same time, providing a sufficientvacancy between the outwardly extending portion of the grip and the baseto permit the ready compression of any edge of the grip to yield in theact of compensating to any certain required working position.

In Figures 5 and 6, a modified form of the device is shown in which thebase 13 is of smaller contour than the grip 14. This form of devicepermits more convenient placing of the base through the opening in thelining for the neck 15, owing to the reduced size of the base. This formof the device may be used where shoe factory or equivalent facilitiesfor installation are limited.

The applicant is a qualified and duly registered Podiatrist of longexperience and he has developed his invention after many experiments andtrials over a long period of time, and has found that numerous otherinventions of this class do not have the particular characteristicswhich are shown to be necessary in actual practice. He has found inconsidering and testing the application of other devices that in a vastmajority of instances such devices constitute a construction of more orless random form and do not have the beneficial results from theviewpoint of an authoritative expert.

While the description and drawing illustrates in a general way certaininstrumentalities which may be employed in carrying the invention intoeffect, it is evident that many modications may be made in the variousdetails without departing from the scope of the appended claims, itbeing understood that theinvention is not restricted to the particularexamples herein described.

What I claim is:

1. A foot gripping device for shoes comprising a base, a grip, and aconnecting portion uniting said base and grip, whereby said device maybe installed through a hole in the lining of a shoe such hole beingsmaller in size than the spread of said base or grip, whereby the baseunderlaps the lining entirely around said connecting portion and thegrip overlaps the lining entirely around said connecting portion.

2. A foot grippingV ineans for shoes comprising a grip, a connectingportion formed on said grip, said connecting portion forming the innerWall of a groove entirely around said connecting portion and a yieldablebase united with said connecting portion, said base being capable ofbeing collapsed and forced through a hole in a shoe lining, whereby saidgrip conceals the edge of said hole entirely around said connectingportion.

3. A foot gripping means for shoes comprising a base, a connectingportion formed on said base, said connecting portion forming the innerWall of a groove entirely around said connecting. portion and ayieldable grip united With said connecting portion and extending beyondsame entirely around said connecting portion, said` grip being capableof being collapsed and? forced through a hole in a shoe lining, saidgrip concealing the edge of said hole entirely around said connectingportion.

4. A grip and base connecting portion, a foot grip mounting upon andoverhanging at one end of said connecting portion, and a base unitedwith the other end of said connecting portion, said base extendingoutwardly therefrom and forming a groove of substantially triangularcross section with said connecting portion and the respectiveoverhanging portion of said grip.

5. In a foot gripping device, a single piece of material comprising aiiat base, a grip ovated to correspond substantially in size and shapewith one of the depressions on the side of the heel portion of the foot,being ovated on the side opposite from said base, and convexedlytherefrom, to conform to and t in one of said depressions, and aflexible connecting portion uniting said base and grip, said connectingportion forming the inner wall of a groove entirely around said device,whereby said grip may flex in any direction on said connecting portionto conform to the angle of the adjacent portion of the foot.

6. In a foot gripping device, a single piece of material comprising aiiat base, a grip ovated to correspond substantially in size and shapewith one of the depressions on the side of the heel portions of the footbeing thus ovated on the side opposite from said base and convexedlytherefrom to conform to and t in one of said depressions, and a flexibleconnecting portion uniting said base and` grip, said connecting portionforming the inner Wall of a groove entirely around said device, saidgroove being Wider at said con-f necting portion than at the edges ofsaid grip' said connecting portion being sufficiently long to haveflexibility in any direction and conform tothe angle of the adjacentportion of the foot, and the edges of said grip being sufficiently closeto said base to prevent catching on the hose of the wearers foot Whenthe shoe is placed on the foot.

EDWARD LESCH.

